Fur
by KingIradescense
Summary: I will take this part of me to my grave, and no one will ever know it had existed. (Pooka!Jack - T for Safety - No Pairings)
1. Chapter 1

**Finals are starting tomorrow T_T wish me luck plz**

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I felt sore and tired. My body was not built to be the way I have forced it to be; even if only parts of it. Still, I didn't stop. The world around me was cruel enough, and I was already distant as it was. I don't need everyone around me to hate me more than they already do.

Besides, I might come out of a scrap with my 'additional' appendages missing if they knew, so I stayed under my cloak, and later, my hoodie as well. It wasn't as concealing as I would've liked on its own, so I still held onto the old, ragged thing and wore it over the hoodie. I hated shoes, but I wore large boots anyway. My anatomy was... different than who they had been meant for, but I forced my foot and leg in there anyway. It hurt, but it helped me to hide, so I dealt with it.

An old piece of twine tied down the two particular fluffs on my head. Where it wrapped around them, it left a ring of matted fur and raw, irritated flesh. I hated it. I wore it anyway, the twine wrapping around my neck in the front.

All that was ever able to remind me what I was was the white of my hair and the blue of my eyes, that remained unchanged between forms; just as vibrant and clean.

Once, long ago, I had heard of another like myself. I tried to meet him, a dull hope having swelled in my chest despite myself. As a small pessimistic part of me expected, they were dashed. His words had been barbed as though fashioned from a rose's thorns and filled with the stinging poison of anger and hatred.

I drifted for awhile after that. Did my job when it was needed, and not much else. When I finally got back into the swing of things, it had been nearing the end of the century. Nothing significant had happened, aside from my most recent run-in. An ordinary moment I often expected. It had become so routine that I found myself mutely excusing from the fight. They couldn't hit me anymore. They couldn't catch me anymore. I guess they got bored since that had been the last time I'd seen them.

Then... the Guardians. Pitch. Believers. The Oath. And... hope. Al over again. It happened faster than I could remember. I was suddenly part of a group; a team. It had been strange at first and still is; less so now, though.

Santoff Clausen had become like a second home. On my off days, I would be found roaming around there, if not elsewhere. It took some warming up to, but the yetis didn't seem to my presence and the elves had no trouble with tailing me around, waddling here and there with their lights and... miscellaneous.

I didn't mind sticking around during the meetings; the other Guardians were nice enough. There was still a heavy defensive feeling weighing in my chest and pulling me to and fro, and I found myself unwilling to share my truth with them. Bunny made me particularly nervous. I could... _smell_ it on him. Wouldn't he be able to smell it on me? I felt nervous every time I came around him. He was always suspicious somehow, and always paying rather close attention to the happenings around him. Be it his acute hearing, or sensitive nose, or even just instinct... It was hard to hide from him.

As much as I'd like to think sharing this part of me with them would be relieving, a weight off my chest, I'm ashamed. Did it matter if I was like Bunny? I might just be some freak hybrid. No, I won't tell them. Least, not yet, if ever. If I had the absolute choice in this?

I will take this part of me to my grave, and no one will ever know it had existed.

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 **Does anyone else really like Pooka!Jack? I might continue this but for now it's a one-shot.**


	2. Chapter 2

**So you guys liked the first chapter? Idk why, ya'll are weird, so I'm gonna start continuing it but that either means this is taking priority or it'll be rarely updated... also I forget to mention his gloves but I'll mention them here**

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North was busy giving his monthly report, and I found myself casually strewn on one of the armchairs. My body felt taxed and sore, but the comfort of non-movement was well-received.

Bunny, although disinterested, paid attention, since North had paid attention to him. I studied his mark, mentally taking in the details and shape. Do I have any markings? I don't remember. It's been so long since I looked at myself. He seemed healthy, too; healthier than I was. My skin was pale as death and my fur was matted and greasy; nowadays I only took anything it off when the soreness turned to an almost unbearable pain.

Having lost interest in Bunny, I turned my attention to idly picking at the stray thread. I wanted to take off the gloves; my hands were warm, borderline uncomfortably so, and they were constricting almost to the point where they were hard to keep fully on. The heat was largely avoidable; my wintery touch seeped through my gloves and back from my conduit, but it could get to be too much every now and then. I wanted terribly to take them off and let my digits cool off, but it could wait until the end of the meeting.

The last to give her report was Toothiana, and as everyone else, they all had good news. There was no need for much alarm and everyone would simply continue going about their business, as I would mine. I got up as the meeting was adjourned, padding over to the window. There was winter to be spread.

I couldn't help but feel as if I was being watched as I popped the window hatch and hopped out, letting the wind catch me.

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I watched the dang drongo hop out the window as if it was natural. Even now that we're... co-workers of sorts, something is still... off... about 'im. Be it his strangely familiar smell, as though reminiscent of a dream, or his innate need to cover himself from head to toe that the most anyone may ever see is part of his face, but it's weird...

And that slight gait of his, it's almost as if his boots hurt him. 'E's trying to walk normally but it was.. just weird! Unnatural! What does he have to hide that he's dressed from head to toe in some heavy garb that must interfere with his flight, and given he's a winter spirit, he doesn't need to keep warm! Something is up with that li'l devil, and I intend to find out what exactly that was.

With a quick farewell to the others, I popped down into one of my tunnels and tracked Jack quietly, popping out every few moments to make sure I was on his trail. while it was easy to follow his distinctive scent, I wanted to be sure I wouldn't lose the boy.

Soon enough, he paused, stopping at a small cave at the base of a short hill, lightly snowy at the top but a bit more chilly than that signified. The boy slipped inside the cavern. At only the foot of the cave, he landed and moved inside a bit slowly. I was worried I'd be spotted if I went in after him, but I found myself heading in regardless. He had stopped at the end of the cave and sat down on the floor without a word.

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I started picking at my gloves when I sat down, eager to get them off. Without a hesitation, I pulled them off. The cooling effect was instantaneous, and I stretched my fingers. A familiar cracking sounded out from my knuckles, which was satisfying enough as it was. Still, I found myself mildly bothered by the sight of greasy, matted fur, and quickly put them back. Heat immediately began to build up slowly, but that was done. Part of me wanted badly to remove my boots, if only for a minute... just to stretch my legs...

Despite myself, I found my hands (paws?) going to my left boot, and I began to pull it off slowly. The fur was just as matted as my hands had been, and the skin around my joint was raw, and irritated, some fur there having been rubbed away. My toes cracked loudly, and I went to do the same with the other foot, when I heard a noise.

I should have recognized the smell of spring.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hullo my dudes.**

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Without letting Bunny get a word out, I darted past him, half flying and half hopping on my right foot while trying to get my boot back on. He was fast to start chasing me, and the only thing that really kept him at bay were my sharp turns that left him skidding.

Having finally got my boot back on - and almost falling over, mind you - I was about to take off... about to fly far, far away... when I was tackled and sent rolling. Soon enough I stopped rolling. I felt dizzy, and all I could see in front of me were Bunny's bright green orbs.

A moment passed before I realized my hood was down, and when I did, I began thrashing violently underneath him. For a moment, Bunny was taken by surprise but then became like an unmovable wall. I was stuck. Trapped. And he knew now.

He didn't seem to know what to do at first. When a few moments passed of him staring at my concealment and twine, he stood up but gripped me by the collar of my hoodie and took away my staff, hanging me on a lower branch of a nearby tree.

"Hey, let me down!" I kicked and thrashed to no avail. A moment passed before he responded.

"Why would'ja do this to yourself?" the said as though breathless. "Ty'in' yer ears down, forcin' yerself to wear all that..."

"Because!" I snapped back, aggravated. His ears flattened against his head. He approached again, and I hoped that he would let me down now. Still, part of me knew it wouldn't be that easy. His paw slipped around my neck and snapped the twine easily; it had been weakening anyway. My ears perked up, but from the ring the twine had left and up, they flopped over helplessly. He looked as if he wanted to straighten them, but knew it would do no good. Instead, he pulled my gloves, then my boots, a small whine escaping his throat at their condition.

Instead, he pulled my gloves, then my boots, a small whine escaping his throat at their condition.

I found myself unable to look him in the eyes. still, he came up nose-to-nose with me and stared me in the face for a long moment. He backed off for a moment, only to open a tunnel and drop the clothing articles inside, then closing it.

"Hey, give those back!" I thrashed again, still fruitlessly.

"Yer not gunna wear any of that anymore," he said forcefully. "It's clear that yer shapeshifting a bit, and yer gonna stop sooner or later. You'll destroy yourself eventually."

"What? No, you can't make me!" I felt panicked and was starting to get stressed.

"Wrong. Yer a kit, and yer gonna do what I say." He hopped up again and ripped the cloak away with one paw, then again picking me up by the back of my hoodie.

"Put me down!" I insisted, kicking again. He said nothing this time, picking my staff up with his free paw.


End file.
